Point of Entry

Judas Priest were leading the charge of “The New Wave of British Heavy Metal” with a quick succession of albums which tightened up their heavy metal riffs and delivered them in arena-rock friendly doses that allowed the audience to join in the anthemic fun. After the strong musical and commercial showing of British Steel, the group delivered what is generally considered to be their mildest album to that point. From the placid color scheme of the album’s cover (evening blue for a heavy metal band?) to the measured production of several strong album cuts (“Desert Plains,” “Solar Angels”), Point of Entry is Priest at their most subtle. Yet, within that subtlety rests the band’s continuing songwriting prowess. “Heading Out to the Highway” and “Hot Rockin’” are the obvious Priest standards, tunes that come off so easeful and obvious that it’s easy to overlook the painstaking craft. The halting tension of “Don’t Go” provides the group with an added dimension. The deluxe edition adds an essential live version of “Desert Plains” that displays the song in its raw, excited, speedier form.